


It Was Supposed To Be A Joke

by Sam_Lee



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Feelings Realization, M/M, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:14:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29418483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sam_Lee/pseuds/Sam_Lee
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Mentioned Sam Winchester/Gabriel
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20
Collections: SPN Family Valentine's





	It Was Supposed To Be A Joke

It was supposed to be a joke. Something funny. It started like this. Three years ago Sam and Gabriel went on a date and Gabriel forgot that he was supposed to meet and talk with Castiel. Of course he did. But Sam also had forgotten family game night. Sure, it was Valentine’s day, but come on! If Dean had to miss LARPing with Charlie for Family game night back when it was only a year old, why did Sam get to miss it four years in?

But Dean was digressing, the point is, he can’t handle seeing Castiel, his best friend, look like a wounded puppy and he didn’t want to be bored all night so he came up with a fix it. Dean and Castiel would spend Valentine’s day together. Dean and Castiel made a pact that they would spend every Valentines together, as each other’s dates, friend wise. And they have. For the last three years.

Let’s face it, Dean’s not going to settle down like a normal person and Castiel doesn’t know how to settle down with a normal human. Also, as it turns out, being the guy that helped kill God was a date killer in the angel world. Or at least that’s what Castiel implied. Also Dean liked making a show of asking Castiel to be his Valentines. It let Dean get comfortable with a side of himself he rarely got to show, because he knew, beyond all doubt, that Castiel would never laugh at him. That he was safe to go overboard with his best friend.

All of this to explain why he had gone three times over what he had last year. Sam left early for his date with Gabriel, so Dean had more time to go overboard. Last year he had been asking with flower petals on the war room table. This time? Well, he had pinned pink and red hearts to the ceiling, put pink and red ribbons along the chairs, and strung the words “Be My Valentines?” on the doorway opposite of the entrance with cheap plastic champagne glasses that had hearts instead of normal stims. Dean stepped down and folded up the ladder.

He admired his work for a moment before walking to put the ladder up. He went into the kitchen and pulled out the cookies and sparkling grape juice to put on the war room table. He had been able to hide the heart shaped cookie stamper by putting it in the freezer under Dean’s Dean-Only pile. But Dean was happy with them, as simple as they were.

Dean smiled as he walked back to the war room. He promised himself he would drink less so he barred Valentines from alcohol. Or alcohol from Valentines. Either way, Dean placed the cookies and fake champagne down next to the glasses before turning to the doorway to wait for Cas. Only he heard the door shut and a familiar couple coming down the stairs.

Dean felt panic. Sam and Gabriel had decided to come here. Maybe Dean could play it off. Say he was about to go get someone? Say that he somehow knew that Sam was bringing Gabriel back here? No. None of that would work. He couldn’t hide; he had frozen too long. He heard the footsteps stuttering, they already saw the decorations, or at least a glimpse of them. Then he saw the surprised looks on their faces.  
Sam’s eyes looked almost confused as they worked their way around the room until they landed on Dean. Of course that’s then Castiel lands behind them. Both Sam and Gabriel look behind them. Dean knows they already figured it out before they ever turn back to Dean. Dean locks up and prepares himself for the jokes or laughter. But to his surprise Sam just grabs Gabriel’s arm and they just vanish after a worldless exchange.

And it makes Dean feel so much worse. Dean already wants to call it all off and rip everything down. He’s mad and nothing even happened. Castiel looks at everything and smiles at it. At least Castiel doesn’t hate the set up. Dean closes his eyes and it’s like Castiel can read his mind. Which is not entirely out of the question.

“You can explain it to Sam. I’m sure he’ll understand. Call him. I can go set up the movie.” Castiel said and began walking toward him. Cas was right, Dean could just call Sam and tell him it was all just for some stupid why to occupy themselves. Dean pulled out his phone and opened his eyes. Then he paused as Castiel walked past him. Because this wasn’t explainable. Dean grabbed his arm, and paused.

He didn’t know what to say so he let Castiel’s arm go. For a moment, Castiel stayed as if trying to wait and see if Dean would be able to say what he wanted to say. Dean closed his eyes and turned to his phone as if he could deny it, just a little longer. Castiel seemed to understand and kept walking. So Dean called Sam.

“Hello?” Sam asked, as if the idea of Dean calling Sam right now would be ridiculous or sketchy.

“Sam, what you saw... It wasn’t what it looked like-” Dean started, trying to talk both himself and Sam around it. To ignore the big thing that he was almost certain he had been ignoring for a while.

“Dude. I know exactly what it was. It’s fine. I know you. You don’t go that far out for just anyone. It doesn’t even matter,” Sam said. But it wasn’t fine, because Sam thought he and Castiel were together. They weren’t. Were they? Dean couldn’t bring himself to speak. “Look, go be with Cas. Hang out, drink beer, but anything 18+ gets moved out of common areas, okay?” Sam asked and hung up.

Dean didn’t know how to respond. But Dean took a deep breath and went to the movie theater, where Cas was. Dean readied himself for anything but the pensive angel that was hyper-focused on the movie selection. Cas reached out and plucked two movies from the stand before turning to Dean.

“I am having trouble deciding between A Rebel Without A Cause and The NoteBook,” Castiel said. When he looked up at Dean, he paused. “What did Sam say?” Castiel asked. Dean was surprised by himself because the second they made eye contact the reason he wanted to go this far was ringing in his head.

The flowers, the decorations, all of that, it wasn’t just that he needed an outlet for his romantic side. He’s spent damn near twenty years ignoring it, and he didn’t need any outlet. He did it because the angel in front of him. Because it was Cas. Because he was in love with Cas. The weirdest thing was that it didn’t feel like a revelation that he was in love with Cas.

“Cas.” Dean said. He didn’t know what was supposed to follow it, but it was like Cas already knew. Cas slowly stood up. Dean closed his eyes and chiastized himself. In love? As if that covered all of it? He swallowed trying to form those thoughts into words. When he opened his eyes Cas was walking towards him. Dean held up his hands as Cas came to a stop in front of him.

“Hey, I don’t want a sappy hallmark-style kiss.” Dean said, feeling a strange defensiveness. Cas’s shoulders dropped and he gave Dean a bitch-face. Dean leaned back a little. Dean didn’t know if he could handle that. A kiss seemed too much.

“Yes, you do, Dean. But it is not time for that.” Cas said. Dean dropped his hands and sighed. Cas was right. Dean didn’t know how to tell Cas all of what he had realized, even though Cas seemed to know, but he didn’t know how to say it. Cas held out his hand and gave him a soft smile.

“I know, Dean. I know.” Cas said simply. Dean took his hand and nodded. Castiel pulled him over to the couch and they sat down. With a snap of Castiel’s fingers the lights turned off, popcorn appeared, and a movie started playing. The only thing different to the original plan is the openness and the closeness. This is something Dean could do. The rest would come later.


End file.
